


Next Time

by cathrheas



Series: @cathrheas' Kinktober 2019 [20]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, F/F, Sex Work, Shower Sex, trans!catherine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-27 10:23:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21117203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathrheas/pseuds/cathrheas
Summary: Sometimes, Catherine wanted to ask what lead Rhea to a profession like that, but Rhea probably wouldn’t have answered. She didn’t talk much about herself besides shallow things—her favorite foods, her favorite poems, and inevitably, what she liked in bed. The most Catherine knew about her outside life was that Rhea only did sex work to cover what her day job couldn’t.Catherine wondered if she even had a last name.





	Next Time

**Author's Note:**

> (Day 20: Sex Work)
> 
> havent written cathrhea since day 9 i almost died y'all....
> 
> was listening to cocky by shea coulee :)
> 
> also im realizing that these things are supposed to be "kinks", and with today's prompt and yesterday's they were less "kinks" and more "prompts" or "themes". maybe im just anal but that seems wrong to me.
> 
> but also im lazy. so its not like im gonna go back and change it. sorry that y'all have to put up with me :pensive:

Rhea was quite punctual. Catherine always thanked her for coming, and she always wanted to say “thanks for coming on time”, but she felt like it would have been insulting or strange to say. But Rhea was always there right when Catherine needed her, right when Catherine was at her loneliest.

They had a bit of a risky set-up; at least, it was risky on Catherine’s end. After their first few visits, Catherine expressed the desire to see Rhea whenever she was in town but Rhea said she was always “around”, never quite sure if she’d be with someone or not. Catherine asked for Rhea’s phone number, but Rhea didn’t give it out due to how her profession could be. Catherine suggested that she’d leave the money in a hiding spot, and if Rhea was free, she could take it and go to the inn that Catherine stayed at. If not, she could leave the money and Catherine would get it later.

Rhea felt uncomfortable with the idea at first, but as they went along, it became more routine. There were times where Rhea wasn’t available, and the money would be there when Catherine went back; even if it had disappeared, Catherine would have pointed the finger at anybody but Rhea. Sometimes, Catherine wanted to ask what lead Rhea to a profession like that, but Rhea probably wouldn’t have answered. She didn’t talk much about herself besides shallow things—her favorite foods, her favorite poems, and inevitably, what she liked in bed. The most Catherine knew about her outside life was that Rhea only did sex work to cover what her day job couldn’t. 

Catherine wondered if she even had a last name.

Whatever her history was, she was considerate. Their meeting time, if Rhea was free, was at eleven. She always showed up at eleven, on the dot. Catherine wondered if she’d stand outside the door and wait until eleven to knock, or if it was just a coincidence.

Either way, Catherine always answered the door so fast that she might have broken it.

That night, when Rhea did her dainty little knock at the door, Catherine answered with the same old grin she always had. But it broke when she saw Rhea’s face. She was a little red in the face, obviously getting over a bout of crying. It was...heartbreaking. She almost looked like a child.

“Rhea...”

“May I come in?”

“Uh, yeah. Sorry. Thanks for coming.” Catherine stepped aside, looking Rhea over as she came in. Rhea’s clothes were always so clean, so pretty...did she change before she came over to Catherine’s? No, Catherine couldn’t think of that right then. Rhea was obviously upset. “Everything okay?”

“Yes, everything’s fine,” Rhea said. Then, after a beat, she added, “I am glad you’re in town.”

Catherine was glad, too. She liked to travel, liked how the work she did left her well-off, but Faerghus was home to her. She didn’t have a house there. She ought to have bought one, instead of meeting Rhea in an inn every time. “Yeah, I am too. I’m glad to see you. It’s been...two weeks?”

Rhea laughed, a genuine laugh. Catherine didn’t know what was funny, but she was glad Rhea was smiling. “That isn’t...horribly long. But I did miss you. How were your travels? Where did you go?”

“Enbarr," Catherine said, dismissively. She took Rhea's hand and sat her on the bed, caressing her shoulder. “But let’s get back to you. Why the tears?”

“I had a rather unpleasant experience with a client earlier,” Rhea said softly. “It’s nothing for you to worry about. I just need to be more vigilant and careful with who I choose to serve.”

To “serve”...Catherine’s stomach turned. She wanted to think it was because Rhea was too beautiful, too precious to be left subservient to others, but it was for a more selfish reason. She didn’t want Rhea to be with anyone else. “Rhea, I don’t think this is what you should be doing. I mean...I know this is dumb, and it’s only been—what, a year? And you only see me every few weeks...but—”

“Catherine. Let’s not discuss it. You’ve already paid me for tonight, and I don’t want to waste your time. And I might have to go back out after.”

“I’ll pay you more if you stay longer,” Catherine said. “I just got back from a trip, I made a pretty big commission. The point is, if you never want to work like that again, I’ll make sure it can happen. No strings attached, no questions asked.”

“You’re...impulsive,” Rhea said. “I’ll think about it. But, please, today has been hard. I’d just like to be in your arms tonight, without thinking of anything else.”

Catherine wondered if she had to think of what to say when she said things like that, so flirty and heavy and loving. Or did she just make it up as she went, using her true feelings. Catherine was sure that, to some extent, Rhea really did love her. Whether it would go anywhere, or if it was a shallow, material kind of love, Catherine didn’t know. But Rhea was a kind woman, a sweet woman, too good for the position she was in. Even if she only loved Catherine for her wallet...

“I’d like you to stay over tonight,” Catherine said. She let go of Rhea’s hand, but only for a moment. She went right back to touching Rhea, that time on her cheek. “Is that fine? Can we take a shower together?”

“I’ve already told you, I’m not homeless...”

“I know, I know. I wasn’t trying to offend you,” Catherine quickly said. “I just thought it’d be nice. You’ve had a hard day, you said it yourself. Nothing like a hot shower, right? I can order some room service after, and...uh, if you want. I don’t know. It’s up to you.”

Rhea seemed unsure, so Catherine didn’t press it, no matter how badly she wanted to. “Let’s just start with the shower,” she said.

Catherine led her to the bathroom, turning the water on hot. They’d never showered together before, and for some reason, Catherine was nervous. She’d seen Rhea naked before, so what was the difference if they were under some water? There was a big difference, apparently. Catherine tried to focus on the shower itself, how good it would feel. She was still a bit jet lagged, but she made sure to make time for Rhea. 

Rhea undressed without hesitation. She wasn’t at all shy with her body, and Catherine wondered if that was because they’d seen each other so often, or if she’d just become immune to feeling that kind of shame. Catherine didn’t dare ask; instead, she took her own clothes off, climbing in the shower right behind Rhea. 

Once they were in, Rhea put a hand on Catherine’s upper arm, looked into her eyes with expectation. Catherine was going to wait until they had gotten out to try anything, but Rhea wasn’t playing around. “Hey,” Catherine whispered. “What do you want to do?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

“It’s never as fun if you don’t want it like I do. Do you want it like I do?”

“Of course I do.”

Once again, Catherine was unsure of the truth behind Rhea’s words. She was just saying it, right? What if she had said “no”? Then what? Catherine stared down at Rhea for a bit, zoned out, but came to her senses when she saw the slightly worried expression on Rhea’s face. “I’ll go get a condom. Is that fine?” Rhea nodded silently, turning to the shower head as Catherine stepped out. 

Fuck, it was all moving too fast. Why would Rhea take Catherine’s offer seriously if Catherine buckled at the slightest batting of eyelashes? It probably looked to Rhea like Catherine was nothing but a lonely, horny rich idiot who was loose with her wallet. Catherine almost wanted to call it all off, pay Rhea to just sleep in her arms and feel safe and taken care of...but Rhea didn’t even want that. She didn’t want any pity from anyone, especially not Catherine.

What was Catherine to do?

She got the condom, rolling it on herself as she went back into the shower. Rhea was good and wet by then, her hair sticking to her shoulders and her forehead until Catherine brushed it out of the way. 

“I’m ready,” Rhea said.

“Me too,” Catherine replied. Rhea was looking at her, so intensely, like she knew everything Catherine was thinking. Catherine didn’t want to see her face while she did it. The act itself was little more than relief, Catherine told herself, had nothing to do with who Rhea was as a person. Catherine placed her hands on Rhea’s shoulders, turned her to face the wall. “Stay like this, okay?”

Rhea nodded, hanging her head a bit. Catherine couldn’t look at her, she refused to. Why did she feel disgusted? Was it because she had paid for it, or because Rhea needed to be paid for it? Whatever it was, it almost made Catherine feel nauseous. And to top it all off, she was hard, and Rhea was ready and willing, so she couldn’t do much but what was expected of her.

She slid her hands down to Rhea’s hips, squeezing just a little bit, and Rhea hissed. Catherine pulled her hands back, too surprised to even ask if Rhea was okay. When she looked down where her grip had been, she saw claw marks, bright red on Rhea’s skin, from where someone else had been holding her. Catherine felt sick. “P-please, don’t look at them, Catherine,” Rhea said.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be, just—they’re hideous. Don’t look at them.”

“They’re not hideous. And I’m sorry it even happened. Was that today?”

“Earlier, yes.”

“I...maybe we shouldn’t do this.”

“There’s no reason not to, I’m fine,” Rhea said. But, God, it sounded forced. “Catherine, don’t mind it.”

Catherine pressed herself against Rhea’s back, wrapped her arms around Rhea’s waist. “I won’t hurt you,” Catherine said.

“I know that...”

“I just want you to feel happy here, with me,” Catherine said. “Even if it’s the only time you feel happy all day.”

Rhea didn’t say a word. She reached back, took Catherine’s shaft in her hand, and guided her forward. Catherine pushed into her when she was lined up with Rhea’s entrance, touching her lips to Rhea’s scalp. Rhea exhaled, shaky and uneasy. “Oh, Catherine,” Rhea whispered. “I always feel happy when I’m here. You know that.”

“Then stay,” Catherine said. Rhea said nothing, which was about as much as Catherine expected. Rhea’s hands were balled into fists against the tile of the shower, her eyes were screwed shut. Catherine had told herself she wouldn’t look at Rhea’s face, but she felt Rhea all over her skin. Even if she had tried to pull away, it felt like they were stuck together. She couldn’t ignore what she was feeling, couldn’t ignore the guilt and the love.

But she tried her damndest. Even as she held Rhea so lovingly in her arms, she was brutal with her thrusts. Rhea moaned so prettily when she did that, Catherine wondered if she really liked it. Or maybe she was faking it. Either way, the sounds she made were like music to Catherine, so lovely and honest and  _ loud. _ Rhea never moaned any names, but she said enough to let Catherine know she was feeling good.

And Catherine was feeling good, too. With Rhea, there was no need to worry about who she was, what anybody expected from her, what people saw when they looked at her too closely. She only had to worry about the end goal: feeling joy and pleasure. Rhea fit around her so snugly, and even as the shower water hit them, Rhea’s juices were still coating Catherine’s dick like honey. Just once, Catherine longed to feel Rhea’s walls against her without any barriers between them, she wanted to know what it felt like to cum inside of Rhea.

But she didn’t bother imagining for too long. They were in the moment, right there. Rhea’s whimpers soared over the sound of the shower, soared over the sound of Catherine’s hips slapping against hers. Catherine was moaning herself, murmuring Rhea’s name every time her body tightened up. She wanted to fuck Rhea forever, until Rhea couldn’t even fathom being anywhere but with Catherine.

Sometimes, it seemed like Rhea was already there. She’d reach back every now and then and hold Catherine’s arm, or pull her closer; when they were face to face, she’d put her forehead to Catherine’s and so innocently ask for Catherine to fuck her harder. When they were like that, unable to see each other, Rhea only begged with her body. The way she tensed said  _ more, _ the way she grabbed Catherine’s arm said  _ faster, _ the way she clawed at the sheets (or the shower tiles) said  _ harder. _

Rhea rarely asked for anything, but when she did, Catherine delivered. She had wanted to take it slow for a split second, to be romantic and to let Rhea know what she really wanted. But she could only lie to herself so much. What she really wanted was exactly what she was getting. Rhea, in the flesh, wanting nothing more than to be fucked senseless whenever and however Catherine pleased.

Usually, it seemed as if Rhea was holding back, not letting herself feel it no matter how much she wanted to. As if it was all for Catherine’s sake. That night, she let herself go. Whether it was because of Catherine’s words or because she was simply tired of holding back, Catherine was unsure. Catherine felt it in the grip of Rhea’s pussy, heard it in the hitch of her breath. Rhea was cumming around her, trying feebly to hold back her cries. Catherine slowed down her strokes, letting Rhea recover. Rhea’s legs were getting weak, but Catherine held her up.

“Catherine,” Rhea said. It sounded so insistent, like she demanded Catherine’s attention. “Catherine...”

“I’m almost there, Rhea. Oh, god, baby,” Catherine said. Rhea’s hands clenched even tighter against the wall at the sound of Catherine’s voice. “Fuck...”

Catherine rested her face in the crook of Rhea’s neck, exhaling against her moist skin as she finished into the condom. It felt a little bit empty that way, knowing that Rhea wouldn’t be able to feel her directly, but Rhea knew she was finishing. She reached back again, and, in an unexpected move, stroked Catherine’s hair as she emptied herself.

It might have been a bad idea to do it standing up, Catherine thought. She had a lot of stamina, but after going so long without being with Rhea, it was a little hard to keep herself upright. Rhea energized her again when she turned around, giving her the briefest peck on the lips. “Thank you,” Rhea said.

“Let me wash you up? Please?”

“Y-you don’t really have to ask me,” Rhea said. “Just...be careful.”

Right. The marks. Catherine hadn’t seen any more, but she also hadn’t looked. If there were more, she didn’t want to see them. She didn’t want to be reminded of other “clients”, of what Rhea had to see day in and day out. Catherine got a cloth and soap and cleaned Rhea up from head to toe. Only the hips were scarred, thankfully, and Catherine washed them gently. Rhea offered to wash Catherine up, but Catherine did it herself. Rhea still insisted on helping her rinse her hair, and Catherine relished the feeling of her hands.

They toweled off and got in bed, not bothering to put clothes on. Catherine wondered if Rhea expected them to go again. She was tired, really—not of Rhea, but of...pretending like they were supposed to be fucking all of the time. She probably wouldn’t have turned Rhea down, but Rhea didn’t ask. She was laying on her back, staring at the ceiling.

“Hey,” Catherine said, poking Rhea’s arm.

“Hm?”

Rhea rolled over onto her side. She had that same expectant look in her eyes. “I don’t think I’ve ever asked this, but...what do you do for your day job?”

“It-it’s rather boring...why do you ask?”

“Just to get to know you.”

“Catherine,” Rhea said, sounding the slightest bit exasperated. Catherine shifted. Had she overstepped? “I...I’m a schoolteacher. It brings me a bit of shame to say that, is all.”

“O-oh. Sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Rhea responded, sounding a bit softer around the edges. “I don’t talk about myself much, now, do I? It’s for a good reason, I promise. It gets harder to do this when people think of me as...as human.”

“But you are. You are human. Did you forget?” 

Catherine didn’t realize until she spoke how abrasive she sounded. She prepared to apologize, but Rhea spoke before she did. “No. I didn’t. But it would be easier if I did. If I were...a robot, or something like that...yes. I think my life would be easier in general. But that’s not how it is, so...perhaps there’s no point in pondering it.”

“No, I wanna hear it,” Catherine insisted. “Tell me what you’re thinking. The night’s still young. Got any good conspiracy theories? I love hearing those. Or tell me about your students, or something.” Rhea smiled at the mention of her students. “Yeah? Your students?”

“They’re a strange group,” Rhea said. “It-it feels weird to talk about them with...with...”

“A client,” Catherine finished. Rhea flushed. “But I don’t have to be just a client, Rhea. I can be whatever you want me to be. Just talk to me a little. Please.”

Rhea rolled onto her back again, staring at the ceiling. Catherine was worried that she’d lost her. Then, just as Catherine was about to take everything back, Rhea took a deep breath. “My students...I’d do anything for them. They’re the future of Fodlan, I really do believe that. They’re a little quirky, but that’s alright. They all have their own talents, you see. There are three classes...”

* * *

Just when Catherine thought she was getting somewhere, Rhea left without a word.

Catherine hadn’t expected Rhea to stay until the afternoon—she was a schoolteacher, Catherine knew that, and it was a Sunday night when they met, and of course she had to go to class, but she left without a trace. Catherine looked around the bed, the desk, the bathroom, the nightstand, looking for a little sticky note or something.  _ Catherine, you were right. We’ll be so happy together. I’ll come live with you, forever and ever. See you this evening for dinner. _

But she wasn’t so lucky. She couldn’t find anything. Rhea was gone, and Catherine was going out of town again that night. Her flight was at eight, so maybe...but Rhea always came at eleven, so she couldn’t...

God. What a headache. She let her get away again.

And she’d be out of Faerghus for at least a month. What would Rhea do? How would she fare? Or would she even think of Catherine at all? Maybe it was all in Catherine’s head. Maybe she’d fooled herself into thinking that she ever had a chance at something real with Rhea.

Catherine looked at her bank account, opened her wallet. She was far from hard-off, but she just wanted to make sure. She counted out her bills, double checked her balances. She wanted to have enough so that next time, Rhea could stay until the sun actually rose. Or forever.

_ Next time... _

**Author's Note:**

> F


End file.
